1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a tool for use in replacing one or more rake tines of a rake wheel of an agricultural hay rake with each of the rake wheels including a central hub and a series of rake tines extending outwardly from the central hub through a peripheral rim.
2. Description of the Related Art
Agricultural hay rakes such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,543,212 are used to form a windrow of agricultural crop material such as alfalfa, hay, or other materials so that the windrow may be picked up and baled into square bales or large cylindrical bales. Usually, the hay rake has a pair of rake arm assemblies which are mounted on a frame means in a V-shaped manner so that the crop material is directed inwardly to form a windrow. In some cases, the hay rake is of the type described as a side delivery rake which consists of a single rake arm assembly having a plurality of rake wheels rotatably mounted thereon. In either case, the hay rake has a plurality of rake wheels with rake tines secured to a central hub and extending outwardly through a peripheral rim.
Each of the rake arm assemblies of the hay rakes of the prior art may consist of five to 20 rake wheel assemblies mounted to a frame structure. The hay rake is typically pulled parallel to the manner in which the crop was mowed, cut or harvested. The frame structure(s) of the rake arm assemblies are typically offset at acute angles from the center line of the direction of travel during operation. During the raking operation, the tines of the rake wheels rotate and momentarily engage the ground and rotate backwardly while traveling forwardly into the crop. After a given distance of forward travel, the wheel disengages the ground while dragging and rolling crop material inwardly with the process being repeated by the next rearward following wheel. Typically, the rake wheel assemblies cover nine feet to 30 feet widths so as to move the crop mowed flat in this width and merging it into one long continuous windrow which may be three feet to five feet wide. A person raking with a ground speed of ten to 15 mph can rake 160 acres of crop in 3.5 to five hours during that time, potentially traveling 50 miles during the process. The process is repeated many times in the harvest season with large scale harvesting operation covering linear distances of up to 2500 miles during which time each wheel rake continuously engages the ground and rotates. Such action repeated many times in close proximity to abrasive soils sets up high wear areas between the tine and the outer peripheral rim or keeper rim. It is this wear point that produces a wear pattern on the rake tine that ultimately leads to failure of the tine resulting in breakage. The absence of a broken tine adds an additional strain to the following tine which is already carrying more of the wheel down pressure and gathering and moving more crop inwardly, all leading to a cascading effect of tine failure. When enough tines are broken in succession, the rotating action of the rake wheel is greatly affected. If the mass of crop matter in front of the wheel becomes too great, the damaged segment aligns with the ground and instead of continuing to rotate, it stops and thereby causes the operator to leave the tractor and redistribute the bunch crop by hand. This problem ultimately leads to performing maintenance on the rake wheel tines.
It is this maintenance task that in its present form can require two or possibly three people to perform. The process of replacing one or more tines requires removing two bolts and nuts, one retaining clamp, and the broken tines. Repairs are usually conducted with the rake wheel assembly still attached to the rake and the tines to be replaced are positioned in their vertical position. The combination of general wear, polishing effect created by abrasive crop movement, and gravity makes the process of removing one or more tines difficult at best thus requiring more than one person to physically account for each tine replacement once the clamp is removed. In today's farming or ranching industry, an increasing problem is labor shortage. The fact that the repair of a rake wheel normally requires two or three people sometimes makes it difficult if not impossible, to find sufficient labor to repair the rake.